Belgian-born Baruch Eyal was posted to Paris as the First Secretary at the Israeli Embassy in 1967.

The Soviet Union had just severed diplomatic relations with Israel following the Six-Day War and Dr. Eyal established an unofficial office for Soviet Jewry at the Embassy.

From 1986 to 1989 Eyal maintained contact with refuseniks, focusing both governmental and media attention on their struggle.

In 1989 he was asked by the Israeli Minister of Science, Yuval Ne’eman, to create a department for the absorption of scientists expected to arrive in Israel.

It was not by chance that Baruch was accurately described as “one man who never forgot a debt “. A number of scientists who came on Aliya were able to continue their professional work because of his help.

Many olim ( newly repatriated ) are heartily grateful to that tactful intellectual who preferred actions to the mouthing of platitudes, such as “yihiey be’seder” (“everything will be all right”).